Air Pollution From Wildfires Returns To Burlington County; Air Quality Alert Issued

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — Although South Jersey may get a break from thunderstorms, air-quality issues linked to the ongoing wildfires in Canada have returned.

State officials issued an air quality alert for the entire state, including Burlington County, in effect for the entirety of Thursday.

"Sensitive individuals, including those with heart or lung disease, the elderly, and the young should limit strenuous activities and the amount of time active outdoors," said the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

• Read more: Wildfire Smoke Returning To NJ: Latest Timeline

Earlier this month, smoke and haze from the wildfires made New Jersey's air unhealthy to breathe and turned the region's skies orange. This week, the smoke has blanketed the Great Lakes region and prompted air quality warnings across the Midwest.

Some of the smoke is seeping into western New Jersey, with southwestern portions of the state enduring "moderate" air quality as of noon Wednesday, meaning those most sensitive to particle pollution should consider reducing outdoor time or the severity of outdoor activities.

AirNow.gov, which reports air quality using the official U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI), shows Burlington County at 56 on the scale as of noon Wednesday — 51-100 is considered "moderate." But forecasters expect the county to reach 150 on Thursday — 101-150 is "unhealthy for sensitive groups," while 151-200 is "unhealthy."

However, that's nowhere near the level of air pollution New Jersey faced in early June. Any score higher than 301 reaches "hazardous" levels, and portions of the state exceeded 500 during that period.

Aging wildfire smoke, sunny skies and the transport of emissions from upwind states will make Thursday's conditions for rising ozone levels, state officials said.

Wildfires have burned over 19 million acres since the start of the year, roughly 6.3 million of which were in Quebec, according to Accuweather.